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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22386010">Maybe Good, Isn't Good Enough</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenwolfrose/pseuds/goldenwolfrose'>goldenwolfrose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legacies (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Break Up, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Hizzie - Freeform, Mention of side characters, No Lesbians Die, No Smut, Useless Lesbians</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:42:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,709</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22386010</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenwolfrose/pseuds/goldenwolfrose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hope and Landon are dating, but Hope doesn't feel right in her relationship with him. There's nothing wrong really it just only feels ok and Hope has weird little issues but really everything is fine. But then it isn't fine and Hope has trouble processing it not being fine. Lizzie though pushes her way into her life and helps Hope come to her own realization that she needs something more.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hope Mikaelson &amp; Josie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson &amp; Lizzie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson/Lizzie Saltzman, Landon Kirby/Hope Mikaelson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Maybe Good, Isn't Good Enough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Alternate Universe, Clearly Non-Canon (yet???)</p><p>I apologize and mean no correlation or connection to anyone or anything. This is literally a work of fiction and an idea that bounced around my head as a way to get Hope and Lizzie together. </p><p>Any spelling or grammar mistakes are completely my own and I'm sorry for them. Also, I wrote this over two nights at like 1 in the morning so I'm hoping it makes sense.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Huffing in disgust Hope flops on to her back one more time before reaching under her pillow and grabbing her phone yet again. Unlocking the screen Hope sees that it’s been a whole 20 minutes since she last sought refugee from her lack of sleep by looking for something to do on her phone. Her thumb swipes across the screen absentmindedly looking for some magical cure for what was keeping her up this late at night, even if nothing has helped in the last dozen times she’s looked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opening her games folder, Hope tries playing another bubble shooter game, they were mindless and she was hoping that maybe this would be the magical cure for her lack of sleep. Several levels later and a yawn stretching her face wide, a single tear leaking down her cheek Hope closes her phone stashing it back under her pillow as she grabs at a different pillow to bury her head into. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time her mind is quiet but the tightness of anxiety that has settled in her chest is enough to keep her eyes from staying closed. Hope groans as the tightness doesn’t dissipate and she flips back onto her back one more time. She tries all the usual remedies that work when she has anxiety attacks in the day time. She focuses on her breathing, she focuses on objects in her room that she can describe hoping that it will calm whatever is triggering her anxiety. Nothing is working though and Hope has a worrying feeling that she actually knows what is causing her anxiety tonight but she really wants to ignore it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Brushing her finger against her phone unlocking it once again, she sighs loudly when she sees that somehow it's past three am and her alarm for the morning is only a few hours away. If tomorrow wasn’t important she would try and cancel but Landon has been looking forward to this trip for weeks and she knows that there is no way she can get out of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course thinking about canceling the trip since she hasn’t slept only really confirms that little nagging feeling she has in the back of her mind, that she is anxious about the trip. It’s not that she isn’t excited about going away for the night with him, it’s just….and there is the problem Hope can’t explain what exactly is she’s anxious about. But clearly her mind and body are anxious and it’s not what she needs right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope flips over onto her stomach and buries the phone in her nightstand hoping that maybe if it’s out of reach she’ll stop looking at it and maybe, just maybe, that she’ll be able to get some sleep. It doesn’t really work that way and Hope tosses and turns for another hour or more before her body finally succumbs to sleep for at least a few hours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The few hours she manages to keep her eyes closed comes to an end when her alarm blares its usual annoying chirp on an endless loop. Stretching her hand out of bed and fumbling through the space next to her bed in search of her phone, the alarm just gets more and more annoying. When she finally manages to close her hand around the phone and silence the annoyance, she wonders what on earth possessed her to let Lizzie set her tones the other night. Alarms have always been annoying but somehow Lizzie had found an even more annoying alarm than usual. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope almost manages to fall back asleep when her alarm blares again, the brief few minutes her snooze let her have not enough. Running her hand through her hair Hope huffs and exhales deeply acknowledging that she needs to get up and get this over with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Really the lack of enthusiasm Hope feels about this trip coupled with the anxiety that still sits in her chest should be signs enough that she shouldn’t go today. But she cares for Landon, and he’s a good boyfriend so this trip is the least she can do for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Twenty minutes late, freshly showered Hope checks over her bag one more time, making sure everything is packed. Landon hadn’t been too detailed in what they were doing but she assumed dinner and a walk around town, maybe a dip in the pool and well a night in bed was par for the course, so Hope had packed to fulfill those needs, hoping that she didn’t need anything else. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satisfied that she had packed everything she would need for the night, Hope zipped her bag closed and pushed it towards the door to her room. There was still a few minutes before Landon was supposed to meet her and if she didn’t get too distracted she could probably get a cup of coffee from the kitchen before he got there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slipping out of her room, Hope heads down the halls keeping her eyes on the ground, trying to go unnoticed. Oddly enough, no disaster or attack comes and Hope manages to make it into the kitchen without any interruptions. Her luck holds out even better when she gets into the kitchen and finds enough coffee left in the machine for her to grab it and go without having to wait for a new batch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sipping her freshly sugared and milked coffee, before heading back to her room, Hope misses Lizzie strolling in behind her and nearly spits it out across the counter when Lizzie starts talking to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh good,” Lizzie chimes clearly hoping that Hope didn’t hear her come in, “you found the coffee I left for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow avoiding the complete disaster of spitting her coffee across the kitchen or spilling it down her shirt, Hope only chokes a little on the hot coffee before she can put it down and turn around at the taller blonde. When Hope manages to turn around and face Lizzie she can see the pleased glint in Lizzie’s eyes and any annoyance she was feeling at the surprise disappears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus Liz,” Hope feigns annoyance, “you should wear a bell or something” her eyes betraying any annoyance she may be trying to plead, “you almost made me choke.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Strutting into the kitchen closing the distance between them, before she reaches down and grabs Hope’s coffee and takes a short little sip her nose crinkling at the sweetness, “Maybe you were going to choke on all the sugar,” Lizzie teases raising the cup up at Hope, “in the beautiful coffee I left you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’s absolutely going to ignore the subtle warmth that spreads across her body at the thought that her former enemy, turned closest friend, made her coffee before her trip. Instead of thinking about why she’s feeling that she just grabs her coffee cup back from Lizzie and hums while she sips the last little bit that is left in the cup. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well thank you” Hope offers a little smile playing at the corner of her lips as she puts the cup in the sink, “for the coffee” she takes a breath before she steps back into the space nearer Lizzie than what would be normal for two people who are just friends, “even if you don’t know the joy of sugar in your coffee.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mouth opening to offer some cheek response back at Hope, they're not flirting really their not, but a cough from the opening of the kitchen interrupts Lizzie before she says anything. Instead, she just smiles at Hope before turning and heading out past Landon who as usual is just glowing as he stares at Hope, oblivious to the moment that was absolutely not happening a moment before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There is a half breath where Hope doesn’t understand why Lizzie is walking away, and then she realizes that her boyfriend is there and that it must be time to leave. She looks back at the coffee cup still sitting in the sink with Lizzie’s lipstick on the edge and then turns away closing the distance between her and Landon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wrapping her arms around Landon's shoulders, “Hey” she offers quietly before placing a little peck on the cheek too, “is it time to go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The enthusiasm radiating off of Landon is hard to miss, and Hope thinks for a moment that maybe his enthusiasm will rub off on her and this trip will turn out ok. Instead of answering Landon nods and then runs his hand up her arm so that he can intertwine their fingers and make their way back to her room, grab her luggage and then head out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The drive to the hotel isn’t bad and they make easy conversation, Hope doesn’t mention why she had a hard time sleeping last night, just that she didn’t sleep well. As usual, Landon is sweet and caring and offers a nap or to cut back on any plans for the night if she needs it. Once again, Hope is reminded of just how sweet and caring her boyfriend is and how that should mean something. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of napping or getting distracted once they get to the hotel, Hope encourages them to head out and spend the afternoon shopping. Much like everything Landon does, he is the perfect boyfriend, he lets her wander in and out of stores, let’s her try on more clothes than she normally would and even lets her choose where they have lunch. It’s nice!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walk around the shopping promenade a few bags holding the purchases they had made and make their way out towards the nearby beach. It’s a busy night on the pier and Landon stays close simply enjoying their time together. With the lights of the town behind them it makes for a perfect photo of them and Landon happily takes a few shots before posting one or two on his Instagram. For some reason though, Hope doesn’t post any but does take a few pictures of the lights behind just her that do end up on Facebook. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With the pier finished and it being well past dinner time Landon leads them back through the winding streets of the town and back to their hotel room. Safely back in their room, shopping bags dropped by their luggage and shoes kicked to the corner, Hope flops onto the bed stretching out her aching muscles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Landon climbs into the space next to Hope and runs his fingers through her hair before he starts asking about what she wants for dinner. Neither really knows what sounds good, so there is a lot of searching on the web and back and forth on what to eat. Both know they should eat something but going back out sounds like the least enjoyable thing in the world to Hope right now. After the lack of sleep the night before, the thought of walking back to finding something for dinner is absolutely something she doesn’t want to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, Landon convinces Hope that just eating in the hotel works and a quick change into something that she hasn’t spent the afternoon walking around in, they make their way to share a nice quiet meal. The rest of their night is once again peaceful and even semi-romantic if Hope is being honest and it’s nice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With the check paid and their desserts cleared away, Landon offers his arm and heads Hope back to their room. They continue their casual bickering and friendly teasing up the elevator, down the hall and back into their room. Slipping out of her heels while Landon toes off his shoes in the opposite corner of the room, Hope manages to flop completely ungracefully onto the bed. Chuckling fills the room as Landon can’t contain his laughter at Hope’s antics. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, Hope knows that Landon doesn’t expect anything, he’s always too nice for that, but still. That feeling is back in her chest and Hope tries to push it down, she’s eventually able to ignore it enough when Landon starts leaving soft open mouthed kisses to her neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the chirping of Hope’s alarm blares the next morning, Landon curls into Hope’s shoulder and Hope tries to stretch out of it so she can snooze her alarm. Mildly successful Hope only loses some of her pillow, which isn’t all that upseting since she had only flopped back and forth against it all night after they had sex. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next hour or so is a repeat of when her alarm first blared its wake up call. Landon tries to snuggle into Hope, he tries to kiss her and he tries to nibble on her neck. Normally Hope is the all powerful tribrid but this, the weirdness she’s feeling right now she doesn’t know how to process. All Hope can manage to do is try to show she’s not interested. Hope doesn’t say anything specific but tries to shy away from Landon’s wet kisses and attempts to run his hand along her body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s almost check out time and much to his credit, Landon takes the nonverbal dismissal of his morning advances like the perfect boyfriend he is. There is no pouting or pleading he simply rolls off the bed and makes sure everything is repacked before he changes into clothes he can drive home in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tossing their bags into the car after checking out of the hotel, the pair make their way back towards the school and their usual lives. The trip back is slightly tense but not, after the first few minutes they manage to get past whatever there is and they are chatting like any other time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When their car pulls back into the reserved spot at school, Landon is all too perfect as he grabs Hope’s bag and walks her back to her room. He leaves her with a promise of a meal in the future and a sweet little kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately when Hope gets back into her room, she locks the door and casts a spell over the door so she can’t be bothered and then collapses into her bed, her mind a jumbled mess. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the afternoon Hope just stares at the ceiling, ignoring the shadows that climb up the wall before being replaced by the light of the moon filling those same spaces. She manages to sleep, her clothes from the drive home still clinging to her body, but her mind keeps it from being a peaceful sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Breakfast and lunch the next morning go by without Hope leaving her room, and Hope is certain if she turned her phone back on she would have countless messages from Landon, wondering where she was and when they could hang out again. If she dropped the spell on her door, Hope wonders if Landon would be there outside trying to be his usual sweet self or if there would just be an empty hallway. She decides she doesn’t want to know so Hope just moves across her room doing nothing but aimlessly watching Netflix and huffing annoyed at her head.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When dinner comes and goes, Hope can tell how late it is now by the rising moon light lines on her wall, she thinks that maybe she turn her phone back on incase there was some disaster she was needed for. Before she can find her phone again though Hope can hear a fizzle like a surge of electricity coming from her door. Quickly pulling herself into a fighting position Hope watches as her door pops open. Standing on the other side of the freshly unmagicked door is an annoyed blonde siphoner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stepping across the threshold and flicking her wrist over her shoulder closing the door behind her, Lizzie purposefully strides towards a very surprised Hope. An eyebrow quirks up begging Hope to question her as Lizzie stops in front of the shorter witch. When nothing happens and Hope still just stares at her Lizzie hums an annoyed sigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why Hello Lizzie” the taller witch teases as she sits determinedly on the bed, “it’s nice to see you” crossing her legs like this is the most normal interaction even if Hope is still just standing their slightly shocked, “please come in” Lizzie drags her arm along Hope’s arm in an attempt to get the other girls attention, “I’ve missed you oh dearest friend let’s talk”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By now Lizzie’s eyebrows are reaching up towards her hairline, expecting Hope to snap out of her trance at any moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How” Hope chokes out when she finally glances at the blonde sitting on her bed, the exact nature of her question clear even if she doesn’t voice it. Her spell should have been enough to keep anyone out of her room, but clearly it wasn’t. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of answering Lizzie just rolls her eyes and quirks her head to the side, a silent offer to join her on the bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s clear that Lizzie isn’t going to answer right away so Hope takes up the spot she was in before Lizzie broke open her spell and just stares at the other witch. Neither woman speaks and the silence is oddly challenging. Lizzie is usually far from quiet, always talking or offering an opinion or thought on something. But right now, she just stares at Hope waiting on her to start talking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anyone else in the school and Hope could probably outlast them, and keep silent for far longer than right now. And maybe it is because it’s Lizzie or maybe it’s because her brain is so desperate to talk to someone that she caves after only a few minutes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It starts out vague, Hope claiming she’s a horrible girlfriend, offering vague comments trying to prove her statement. Lizzie sits quietly still letting Hope talk merely nodding her head or raising her eyebrows as a silent encouragement for Hope to keep talking. And Hope keeps talking, she talks about how she feels like she should have given in. How she feels about so many things. It spirals to more and more things and then Hope is lamenting the little things about Landon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The little things about Landon that should be good, should be reasons why he is a good boyfriend and why she should be lucky to have him. How he’s always so patient with her or how he always goes out of his way to bring her snacks and check up on her. Hope talks about all the ways Landon has been a better boyfriend than her past relationships (although Roman was definitely not a great comparison). But every time Hope says something great about Landon, she finishes with how it’s just ok. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’s been babbling for awhile and honestly Hope didn’t know she had so many things to talk about. She knows that nothing she has said is still really an issue, in terms anyone would compare it too, but it’s still a lot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lizzie still doesn’t say anything, she listens as Hope talks about how she felt obligated into sex and how she was feeling pressured the next morning. How Hope was expecting Landon to pick up on her cues that she wasn’t interested. Somehow Lizzie even manages to listen to Hope complain about how Landon kisses like a fish, always wet and sloppy. If she wasn’t trying to be a better person she would have definitely made some comment about him being a Hobbit or a sentient jar of mayonnaise at that but maybe because of that whole new leaf she’s turned over when it comes to Hope she manages to not interrupt with her own commentary. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In fact, Lizzie makes it through all of Hope’s rant and even manages to wrap the shorter witch in a little hug when tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. They are sitting next to each other, backs resting on Hope’s headboard while Hope clutches a pillow against her chest when Lizzie finally speaks again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your magic” Lizzie quietly fills the void now that Hope is no longer talking, “it didn’t fight me” Lizzie shrugs before going on, “it’s like it wanted me to break your spell” there’s a little sliver of cockiness in Lizzie’s eyes, “I mean I still had to siphon a decent amount of magic but still.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow it makes sense to Hope, she never planned for a loophole to exist for Lizzie but with the taller witch next to her and the way she needed to let things out maybe her magic knew better than she did. Because, right now there is nothing Hope is more grateful than for the blonde sitting next to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Reaching across the bed Lizzie grabs the remote and starts Netflix back up, giving Hope the excuse to move on from the emotional turmoil she was going through. It works and after an episode or two there’s a smile on her face and Hope’s worries about Landon and their relationship aren’t haunting her at the front of her mind. The issues she is having are still there and she knows about them but somehow talking at Lizzie about them have already helped shape them into something Hope’s mind can actually process. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two episodes turned into three and then four and then there was an alarm blaring waking them up the next morning. At some point in their Netflix marathon they both must have fallen asleep, the “are you still there” message taunts them on the screen but the morning light now fills Hope’s room. Lizzie is the first to stir as the alarm continues beeping and Hope mumbles incoherently as she pulls in closer to Lizzie. At some point in the night their legs tangled together and Hope had decided that Lizzie’s shoulder was a good pillow because the shorter witches hair was still splayed across Lizzie’s tank top. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the alarms’ beeps grow more annoying and haven’t stopped Hope wiggles her arm across Lizzie’s body in an attempt to find the alarm and stop it. Unfortunately, Hope’s arm happens to drag itself across one of Lizzie’s ticklish spots and try as she might Lizzie ends up laughing and jerking herself away from Hope. The sudden movement and the loss of her pillow is enough to wake Hope, or at least get her to mumble a few unsavory words at the alarm that is still beeping. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing her hand around her phone, Lizzie manages to silence the alarm, as she chuckles at the unhappy way Hope wakes and the variety of swear words that are filling the space around them. It takes a few blinks before Hope realizes it wasn’t her alarm that woke her or that she wasn’t alone in her room, and as her brain catches up Hope realizes she’s not bothered by any of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In all the months Landon and her had dated she had never been comfortable with waking up next to him. They rarely cuddled awake or asleep and Hope can’t remember a time they ever spooned when they spent the night together; and as much as she tries she can’t remember a peaceful night’s sleep when Landon stayed over. But as Hope blinks away the sleep from her eyes she vaguely remembers both cuddling up against the older Saltzman twin most of the night and that she slept soundly and anxiety free. It’s another one of those things that she should really think about but instead Hope does what she does best and pushes it towards the back of her mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s been silent for the last few moments and Lizzie was staring at Hope, she was waiting for Hope to get upset or say something but instead that never happened. If Lizzie didn’t know better she could almost see the gears turning in Hope’s mind as some realization or understanding settles in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A low noise rumbles out of Hope as the reality that she skipped an entire day of meals or so becomes clear. Pulling her top lip between her teeth Lizzie manages to barely hide a smile at the noise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on” Lizzie gently offers instead of making some wisecrack about Hope being a wolf and heads towards the door, “let’s go feed that pit” okay so she teases Hope a little bit “before it eats me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bright red blush that erupts on both of their faces at the weird double meaning that statement could have goes unnoticed as Hope had turned away looking for a sweatshirt and Lizzie was turned away towards the door already. It’s a good thing though because if either saw the other’s blush it might have made them think about things, and it wasn’t that time. Instead Hope clears her throat trying to break the sudden tension in the room, and holds out another sweat shirt towards Lizzie as an offering so she can be more comfortable at breakfast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slipping the sweatshirt over her head, Lizzie follows Hope down the halls and towards the dining hall. The pair make easy conversation as their feet slowly make their way towards the noise at the end of the hall. Their conversation stays far away from how they woke up, or Lizzie’s comment and Hope is especially grateful that their conversation also stays far away from any thoughts about Landon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pair make their way into the dining hall and grab some food before they find themselves in front of the coffee maker. WIthout realising it they make the other’s coffee and then awkwardly hand it off to the other a nervous chuckle following their outstretched hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Across the dining hall, Josie MG and Kaleb watch with amused smiles at the pure Gay energy that is being exuded. The fact that the pair walked into the dining hall clearly together, or that Lizzie never came back to the twins room or that Lizzie was currently wearing a New Orleans sweatshirt did not go unnoticed. All three of them caught different pieces but quickly shared their observations and now they just sat and watched as the two unknowingly flirted with each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Guys” Landon suddenly appeared behind the trio, “what you guys watching?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Flopping his mouth open, words completely failing to come out MG humphs and haws for a few breaths before Josie comes to his rescue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were just waiting,” Josie kicks Kaleb who nudges MG, “waiting for Hope” she adds ignoring the truth if only by a little. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he wasn’t a Phoenix Landon’s head probably would have snapped off with how quickly it flew up in search of his girlfriend. It took a moment or two before he caught sight of Hope and when he did his eyes glowed with how much he cared for her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boys were boys and didn’t even notice the way Landon reacted to seeing Hope, but Josie did. Josie, also knew that Hope didn’t have that same look she never had. Well she never had that look at Landon, though taking a quick glance at the pair who were still goofing off about their coffees, Josie thinks that Hope might be getting close to that look when she looks at her sister. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of taking a seat Landon crossers the dining hall and slides up behind Hope. Not worrying about their conversation or interrupting, Landon wraps his arms around Hope’s waist and leaves a wet kiss on her neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Babe” Landon chimes in happily as Lizzie quirks her eyebrows before spinning away wordlessly leaving Hope anxiously in Landon’s arms, “you made it to breakfast.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wiggling out of Landon’s grasp Hope hums her response and starts following Lizzie towards the table the rest of the gang is at. When Hope slips into a free seat, Landon choses to curl up as close as possible invading as much space of Hope’s as possible. Even Kaleb can tell how uncomfortable Hope is but no one at the table goes to say anything, Lizzie is busy biting her lip in an attempt to hold back a sarcastic quip at Landon’s expense. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Breakfast ends quickly, well not really quick enough for Hope or Lizzie but definitely too quick for Landon who follows along as Hope leaves and heads back to his room. As usual, Landon is trying. He’s trying to be a sweet boyfriend and asks about her and if she is ok and if she had fun and if she wanted him to plan something else and his genuine nice asks go on and on. If they hadn’t found themselves back at Hope’s door it is quite possible that he would have continued being nice and asking about her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Popping the door open just enough for her to sneak through Hope tells Landon she’d see him later and that everything was ok. Hope knows it’s not ok but she still doesn’t know why. It’s fine she reminds herself. He’s fine. Everything is good. Not great. Not fairytale or amazing but good. And good is better than most get. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pulling her sweatshirt off, Hope falls back into bed curling around a pillow that smells more like vanilla than the rest of her pillows and passes out for a few hours hoping an answer comes to her, even if she is pretty sure she knows what needs to happen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next day is a repeat of the last, well except for Lizzie being in her bed when she wakes. But the pillow her face is buried in still smells like Lizzie so it’s close. And Hope feels as anxiety free as the morning before so it’s a win in her book. But breakfast and Landon and his presence are much of the same. After breakfast Hope has finally turned her phone back on, as she had expected there had been the usual messages from Landon the last few days. His usual, good morning and good night and sweet dreams text. There were a few other texts asking if she was ok. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hours later when it was almost dinner time her phone chimed with a new text. Hope’s anxiety was already churning as she had been thinking about Landon and how ‘sweet’ he was so she wasn’t paying attention when the notification showed a preview of the new message. If Hope had been paying attention and not thinking about how Landon’s ‘sweetness’ was something she was so interested in when they started dating but was now something that was off, she would have probably decided to ignore the text. Since she wasn’t thinking though she opened the text and her mind froze as she read and re-read Landon’s text asking if he’d done or said something wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the words echoed through her mind over and over, she could feel her anxiety pulsing through her body. That was the problem Hope realized as she took another round of breaths trying to get her body to calm down some. In all the months Landon had been with her, he’d never done anything wrong. He was sweet and perfect and caring and if anything Hope had always been the distant troubling needy one who caused problems so the answer was no, he hadn’t done anything but maybe that was the problem. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opening the message once again, Hope starts typing out a response before deleting it and trying again. She types and deletes at least five different responses before tossing her phone down on the carpet in frustration. She’d tried to tell him that everything was alright, that nothing was wrong even that she was just having a hard day but that all felt wrong. So she tried being honest and telling him what was on her mind, but those were words that weren’t made for a text. In one attempt there was even the dreaded, ‘we need to talk’ but Landon deserved more than that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grabbing the sweatshirt from breakfast the other morning and unballing it Hope pulls it over her head before grabbing a new pair of socks her phone and leaving her room in search of her boyf…..Landon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s almost like Hope doesn’t really want to find Landon since she has looked for him in all the places she knows he won’t be. Landon avoids the Library and the kitchen unless he knows she will be there and the same could be said for the gym and the few classrooms Hope had searched for. Somehow though her brain has eventually led her to his door and before she can talk herself out of it, her hand is quietly knocking on the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A breath or two escapes Hope’s lips before Landon opens the door. He greets Hope with his usual blinding smile, happy that she’s there, but as he looks closely into Hope’s eyes his smile fades and he wordlessly opens the door letting her slide into the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Landon watches Hope fumble with her fingers as she paces around the room back and forth never opening her mouth but always looking like she was on the verge of saying something. Truthfully he knows what’s coming, he doesn’t want to accept it but the nervous energy radiating off of Hope as she paces his room only confirms the look he saw in her eyes when he opened the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Landon gives up on Hope ever actually talking to him, she suddenly stops mid pace and turns at him, her eyes clearly fighting back tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Landon” Hope begins her voice filled with emotion, “I tried” her words weak like she’s still trying to find the exact things she wants to say, “I tried, to be good enough, to feel the same” she moves like she’s going to sit on his bed before thinking better about it and moves around the room instead, “but it’s not fair to you” the end of that sentence is left unsaid even if the meaning is perfectly clear, ‘we need to break up’!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As much as Landon saw it coming when he opened the door, he still wasn’t prepared and before he can even process what Hope’s said he finds the chair in his room and collapses into it. Running his hand back and forth over his face and through his hair he looks back at his girlf….Hop, mouth opening and closing trying to find the words but failing each time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope’s stopped moving finally and she looks like she’s plotting her escape as her eyes glance back and forth towards the door. Before she can take a step though Landon finds his voice and shakily apologizes, “I’m sorry Hope” he takes a bigger breath hoping to make his words sound more sure than what he feels, “what did I do? I can fix this!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of some answer of his own shortcomings, he’s met with Hope’s silence and notices how her eyes have fallen to the ground almost as if she’s afraid of the truth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knowing that Hope won’t elaborate or offer him some solution to their impending break up he pleads, “I thought you loved me?” As if suddenly being reminded of their confessions which had slowly been uttered less and less lately, not that Ladon could actually remember the last time Hope had said it to him now that he thought about it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Much like his last attempt at getting Hope to talk to him, he is met with silence only the ever increasing ragged breaths that Hope is trying to contain. With a sniffled breath Hope tries to steel her voice, “Maybe” is all she mumbles before hurrying past Landon out the door and down the hall away from his crumbling heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s all she can do right now to not break down in the halls and she’s not sure where she’s going but she knows she needs to be someplace soon before she can’t hold back the tears any longer. When her feet stop in front of an all too familiar door it’s not even the surprising and before she can talk herself out of it her fist is knocking softly on the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s barely a moment later before Hope can hear soft feet padding their way to the door and then it’s being pulled open revealing a surprised Josie on the other side. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hope?” Josie calls out softly reaching her arms out to hug the shorter witch and pull her into the twin’s bedroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door has barely even shut and with Josie’s arms around her Hope lets go and the tears and the heart ache come pouring out of her leaving a damp trail of tears on Josie’s shoulder. She’s being led, soft words of comfort being mumbled into her ear as Josie leads her back to one of the twins beds and Josie’s arms never leave her shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once her knees knock against the edge of the bed she feels a different set of arms wrap around her waist and knows it’s Lizzie pulling into an embrace. Hope doesn’t even try to fight the warm arms that both wrap around her comforting as all three of them angle for a spot on the bed. At this point Hope’s not even actively crying on anyone just rolling her head back and forth between the two friends as they try to calm her down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s Lizzie’s voice that slowly works its way through Hope’s tears, that coupled with Josie’s announcement that she’s getting blankets and ice cream, and she slowly shifts her body closer to the blonde’s wrapping her free arm around Lizzie’s waist burying her face into Lizzie’s shoulder. The two of them stay like that, Lizzie running her hand along Hope’s back mumbling words of comfort and little sassy comments to try and calm down the tribrid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Josie returns a few minutes later, ice cream and spoons in one hand and a pile of blankets in the other that is how she finds Hope and Lizzie. Both in their own little bubble Lizzie trying her best to be strong for the other. It warms Josie’s heart to see her sister so soft, and she’s really happy at how much Lizzie has tried to be better for everyone over the last year. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of announcing her return and interrupting their little bubble, Josie slips into the space that was still waiting for her leaving the ice cream in the middle of the bed and gently dropping the blankets on the other two. Once all the blankets are settled and Hope’s tears have calmed to a slow trickle she hands Hope a spoon and the Netflix remote. And that’s how the three of them spend the next few hours. There’s no conversation about Landon or what brought Hope to their room with tears in her eyes just three friends being there for one another. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With her eyelids getting heavy and a fresh yawn Josie decides she needs sleep and as much as she loves cuddling with Lizzie or Lizzie and Hope the last few hours she wants her own bed. So Josie slips out of Lizzie’s bed leaving Hope curled into her sister, their hands gently intertwined together and smiles as she leaves to brush her teeth and fall into her own bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When a new alarm blares the next morning, it’s Josie who is the first to wake and when she flips her head to the other side of the room, she expects to see Hope gone and Lizzie awake and energized for the day like any other time. Instead, she sees the duo in much the same position as when she left them a few hours earlier. At some point after she left, Hope had somehow gotten even closer to Lizzie despite the free space Josie had left behind, and their legs were comfortably wrapped around each other. Before her alarm could wake them up, Josie decided blackmail was the best option so after silencing her alarm she managed to sneak in a few pictures of her twin and Hope all snuggled safe in bed. Josie tells herself that they are for blackmail one day in case she ever needs it, but there is also a nagging suspicion that they will make even better wedding pictures one day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leaving the two snuggled in bed, Josie quietly sneaks out of the room and manages to make excuses for them when they don’t show up to breakfast or any of their classes that day. When Josie returns at the end of the school day she is absolutely not shocked to see them still cocooned in their own little world, not necessarily snuggled as close as this morning but still close and Hope’s eyes were still red from crying. Clearly Josie made the right choice in leaving them alone for the day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope manages to excuse herself from the twins room later that night claiming a much needed shower and a change of clothes but promising to see the twins in the morning for breakfast. Shockingly Hope keeps her promise and quietly sits between Hope and Josie a small plate of food in front of her the next morning. Everyone at the table can see the rain cloud that is hanging over Hope’s head but no one asks why or tries to make a feeble attempt at making it better. Which is honestly probably for the best, mostly everyone is just glad Hope isn’t isolating herself again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there Hope becomes an almost permanent fixture in the Saltzman twins lives. In their spare time Hope comes to their room, or Hope invites one or both back to her room. It’s weird spending so much time in Hope’s room after knowing her most of their lives but never being friends with her. There are a number of nights even where all three of them crash in Hope’s bed after a long night of binging on Netflix or studying for a particularly horrible test. It’s nice and while Hope’s eyes always light up just a little more when Lizzie shows up, Josie and Hope spend an almost equal amount of time together and Josie finds she doesn’t mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And that’s the way it stays for weeks which turn into months, the Saltzman twins and Hope being always around each other as friends but never anything more. Josie has caught the little looks that the two share, where Hope stares longingly at Lizzie when she’s not paying attention or vice versa when Hope is busy and Lizzie is staring. It’s honestly getting sickening and Josie is waiting for the day one of them finally makes a move. Of course, both of them are so blind Josie worries that day will never happen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her fears are wholly unfounded when she comes back to her room one night and shrieks in surprise before running back out of the room slamming the door behind her. On Lizzie’s bed was a Hope straddling her sister Hope’s top most definitely tossed some place else in the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Counting to 10, then 20 than 100 (she figures extra time is probably better than seeing anything she doesn’t want to see) before knocking on her own bedroom door, waiting for an invitation to come in. She expects Lizzie to be the one to call out, but instead it’s Hope’s voice that cheekily answers the knock. When Josie re-enters the room, her eyes partially closed in case her counting to 100 wasn’t long enough for them to get decent, she doesn’t even see her sister, only a lump on the bed in the shape of Lizzie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Josie” Hope cheekily smiles at her. It’s clear by the smirk on her face that she isn’t nearly as mortified about being walked in on as her sister is, who only mumbles from under the blankets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s almost funny now that Josie isn’t surprised at seeing Hope sort of naked in her room. Sure Josie didn’t expect it, but she knew it was coming, she just figured she’d find them kissing or one of them would tell her (or their friends) not finding them making out and Hope topless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Taking a few strides into the room, Josie decides to flop down on Lizzie’s bed landing on Lizzie just a little bit. Poking the area, she assumes is Lizzie’s stomach, “So” Josie begins her eyes sparkling with her happiness, “you two” now poking Hope with her other hand “finally figured it out”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of a response she’s met with two matching groans of annoyance one muffled by the comforter the other covered by Hope’s hand covering the rising blush on her cheeks. Slowly Lizzie pulls back the comforter, and much to Josie’s delight Lizzie is dressed under there, and looks at her sister closely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath, clearly nervous, Lizzie worries, “You’re ok with this?” Lizzie’s head jerking towards Hope, while Hope’s hand inches towards Lizzie almost like she’s waiting on Josie’s permission. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glowing Josie pulls herself forward and wraps the two of them in a big hug, mumbling against the small space between them, “Absolutely” when she pulls away, “honestly I was beginning to lose patience that one of you would do something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By now, Hope has found Lizzie’s hand and intertwined their fingers together, putting their hands in Hope’s lap and Lizzie has subconsciously dragged her body a little closer to Hope’s. “Oh” is their only response as a fresh round of red spreads across their cheeks and up their ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slipping off of one bed and into her own, Josie grabs a pillow hugging it to her chest and asks for all the details. It takes a little bit of prodding mostly because they are so nervous, but soon enough both are gushing over how they got to where they were when Josie walked in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Josie is all caught up she offers the girls the room for a little before meeting up for dinner. As she opens the door ready to step out into the hall, she turns back towards the two of them who are already snuggling closer if that’s even possible, and cheekily says to no one in particular, “Wonder who Dad will give the shovel talk too?” And with a devilish little glint in her eyes Josie closes the door and almost skips through the halls in search of her friends. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With dinner in full swing Josie is radiating excitement as she waits for Hope and Lizzie to join the rest of the squad. Somehow Josie had managed to avoid all their questions and hadn’t spilled a detail about the new relationship, wanting to see their reaction in real time when the boys figured it out. Luckily, her wait was short lived as the pair walked hand in hand, shirts wrinkled and tried their best to act like nothing was out of the ordinary. </span>
  <span></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It lasted all of a minute before the boys at the table exploded in reactions all of which Lizzie tried to ignore by burying her head in Hope’s shoulder. It was cute and that did not go unnoticed by anyone. Who knew Lizzie Saltzman would be the shy one in a relationship. After much teasing and pleas for information the squad all gave their congratulations and snarky responses of knowing something was going to happen eventually, the table dispersed to their nightly activities. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Josie was surprised when Hope and Lizzie waited for her, as if they were expecting her presence. In all fairness, Josie figured they would head back to Hope’s room or leave a friendly note asking for Josie to spend a little time in the library. But when Josie stopped next to them she found herself being pulled into a hug by her sister who then reminded her of movie night, like nothing had changed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with Netlfix playing in the background a shared bowl of popcorn being nibbled by all three of them, Josie found out that nothing really changed. Sure Hope and Lizzie kissed a few times but they were just as cuddly as before and just as open for twinsy cuddles or whatever just like before they got together. When the credits started rolling Josie started to slip out bed before Hope grabbed her wrist in a plea to wait just a moment. Turning back around her head cocked to the side Josie looked at Hope clearly confused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know Josie” Hope offered clearly a little nervous, “I, well us” nodding her head at Lizzie, “we don’t want to exclude you” Josie quirks her head challenging that statement, “ok well not all the time” she waves her free hand at the bed and popcorn that’s nearly gone, “this is nice and it shouldn’t end.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whatever Josie was expecting when Hope reached for her hand was most definitely not this. She had assumed that it was like a last time thing or a silent apology for walking in on them early. But, if the looks on both Hope and Lizzie’s face were real it wasn’t going to be something neither of them wanted to give up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Josie is pulled out of her thoughts as Lizzie sits up wrapping an arm around Hope’s waist encouraging Hope to go one and Hope softly begins again, “after well…” the breakup goes unsaid, “or well even before” Hope pauses taking a moment to collect her thoughts, “you two were my friends and someplace I felt safe. And” Hope’s free hand slides into Lizzie’s, “while I feel something more for Liz” she pauses collecting her thoughts one more time, “your part of this too. Plus I don’t want to come between the twinsy thing you two have.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She feels a few tears trickling down her cheeks at what Hope is saying. The relationship Josie and Lizzie had was always a sticking point in other relationships. Penelope hated how Josie always gave up everything for Lizzie. And far too many of Lizzie’s boyfriends or crushes found their closeness weird and tried to separate them as much as possible. Soon enough she’s wrapping both of them in hugs all three overcome with happiness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lizzie stays in their room that night, but not the next, that next night she follows Hope back to her room after class and snuggles up to Hope enjoying their time together. She’s certain that Hope has passed out since her breaths are even and she hasn’t moved from Lizzie’s shoulder in the past few minutes. So when Hope peeks her head up a moment later, Lizzie is slightly shocked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know Liz” Hope softly says her cheek resting against Lizzie’s collarbone, “you’re different” Lizzie waits knowing that there’s more to Hope’s thought, “I never….” Hope’s voice trails off again, “I never did this Landon, I never felt right in bed with him.” Another pause as Hope collects her next few thoughts, this time Lizzie can see a bit of a blush spreading across Hope’s face, “Even before we broke up, you” Hope slides her free hand up Lizzie’s arm and cups her cheek, “you made me feel safe and I never thought I would” Hope’s fingers are gently tracing patterns along Lizzie’s neck and shoulder, “enjoy being with someone like I do with you” with that admission the fiery red blush on Hope’s cheeks glows and even darker shade, “cuddling, sleeping with you” Hope’s which had been focused on Lizzie glance away briefly, “kissing you. I’m so happy with all of it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Lizzie weren’t so wrapped up in Hope’s words and the gentle touch on her skin, she probably would be balling. She’s not though so instead of turning into a blubbering mess, she closes the distance pulling Hope closer and kisses her. The words Lizzie wants to utter back evade her right now, even if they are eerily similar, so she tries to put all those words and all those feelings into her kiss. And all those emotions seep into every ounce of that kiss and the countless others that follow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning when they sleepily walk to breakfast in outfits matching the ones they were wearing the first time they came into breakfast together, Hope has a good feeling about her future. A future with the blonde next to her, a future that will be long and happy. For the first time in so long, Hope feels like she’s in the love stories her mom used to read her and she couldn’t be more pleased about that. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ok so this fic, became somewhat cathartic for me and only partially places some semblance to real life. </p><p>I hope you enjoyed this fic, it got away from me for a little bit there and the ending was only partially what I had planned when I started letting things out but it ends with a happy ever after and that's all that matters. Yes, the idea of the three girls cuddled in bed absolutely came from the gifs I've seen of 2x10 and the idea of them knowing each other's coffee orders will absolutely show up in other fics. </p><p>Please check out my other works on here and feel free to hit me up, I'm goldenwolfrose on just about all the usual places. </p><p>Comments and Kudos are love and I'm really trying to be better about responding to them so.... comment away!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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